Main
Quinn Asena
Post-doctoral research associate developing and applying new statistical methods to palaeoecological data to understand ecosystem responses to environmental change. Working with Jack Williams and Tony Ives on data across North America on an NSF funded project: Abrupt Change in Ecosystems. I also like to get hands on in the field and lab.
Education
PhD, University of Auckland
School of Environment
Auckland, NZ
2021 - 2017
- PhD explored virtual ecological methods for generating pseudoproxy data to assess statistical inferences under data uncertainty.
- Supervised by George Perry and Janet Wilmshurst
MEnv. Environmental Science
University of York
York, UK
2016 - 2012
- 1st class integrated masters degree in environmental science. Master’s researched involved environmental monitoring using sensor networks and robotics.
- Courses included: Ecological Principles; Biogeography, Applied Ecology and Environmental Management; Protected Areas; Design and Implementation; Climate Change: Science, Observation & Impacts; Research Skills and Statistical Methods
Music School
Royal Academy of Music
London, UK
2010 - 2005
- Study in performance, composition and musical theory. Multiple competition awards
- ABRSM Grade 8 Piano Performance
- ABRSM Grade 5 Music Theory
Certified Carpentries instructor
Global digital skills community
Virtual
N/A
- Certified to host and assist in running workshops from The Carpentries organisation
Selected Positions
Post-doctoral research associate
University or Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI
Present - 2022
- NSF grant, developing state-space modelling methods to analyse palaeoeological records
- Abrupt change in ecosystems project lead by Jack Williams and Anthony Ives
Research Assistant
University of Auckland
Auckland, NZ
2022 - 2021
- Conducting a bibliometric analysis on the topic of climate justice
Engagement Specialist
Centre for e-Research
Auckland, NZ
2022 - 2021
- Engaging with researchers to provide advice and resources for their research compute needs
- Includes technical skills for virtual machines (Linux, Bash, Slurm), high performance computing, and version control
Data Analyst
Auckland Council
Auckland, NZ
2021
- Role: analyse citizen science bird count data and write a technical report.
Graduate Teaching Assistant and Assistant Coordinator
University of Auckland
Auckland, NZ
2019
- GTA and assistant coordinator for Discovering Environmental Modelling
- Guest lecturer on population growth
- Developed application as a teaching aid: shiny app for lecture and lecture slides
Graduate Teaching Assistant
University of Auckland
Auckland, NZ
2019 - 2018
- GTA: Natural and Human Environmental Systems; Discovering Environmental Modelling; and, Environmental Science and Management
Research Assistant
Stockholm Environment Institute
York, UK
2017 - 2016
- Assisting in the reconstruction of fire regimes in the North York Moors
- Core preparation and microscope analysis for charcoal and SCPs
- Statistical analysis and compilation of data
Articles and Publications
Courses
Attended several courses during my PhD to improve my software proficiency and scientific understanding including:
Software courses:
- - Software Carpentry
- - Winter Bootcamp
- - Research Bazaar
University Papers/Modules:
- - Environmental Data Analysis
- - Modelling of Environmental Systems
Skills
- - programming
- - High performance computing
- - Microscopy
- - ITRAX core scanning
- - Peat core preparation
Is the past recoverable from the data? Pseudoproxy modelling of uncertainties in palaeoecological data
Holocene
N/A
Accepted
- Asena, Perry and Wilmshurst
Guidelines for Reporting and Archiving 210Pb Sediment Chronologies to Improve Fidelity and Extend Data Lifecycle
Quaternary Geochronology
N/A
2019
- Courtney-Mustaphi et al.
Response to comment on Peatland carbon stocks and burn history: Blanket bog peat core evidence highlights charcoal impacts on peat physical properties and long-term carbon storage by Evans et al.
GEO: Geography and Environment
N/A
2019
- Heinemeyer et al.
- Role: core preparation and microscopy - charcoal and spheroidal spheroidal carbonaceous particles
Peatland carbon stocks and burn history: Blanket bog peat core evidence highlights charcoal impacts on peat physical properties and long-term carbon storage
GEO: Geography and Environment
N/A
2018
- Heinemeyer et al.
Population viability analyses in New Zealand: a review
New Zealand Journal of Ecology
N/A
2018
- Simpkins et al.
Assessing the links between resilience, disturbance and functional traits in paleoecological datasets
Past Global Changes Magazine, vol. 26(2), 87
N/A
2018
- Hamilton et al.
Packages, apps and resources
George Perry Lab
Interested in the lab group? Visit George Perry’s lab group: Spatial Ecology Group
Williams Lab
Check out the Williams lab
Ives Lab
See what the Ives Lab group do
fisheR
R package
N/A
2019
- Translation of python script for calculating Fisher’s Information on time-series data
- Code available on GitHub
Population growth app
Shiny app
N/A
2019
- Population growth app exploring different population growth equations for educational purposes
Population growth lecture aid app
Shiny app
N/A
2019
- App to accompany population growth lecture and help students through population growth calculations
Selected Workshops and Conferences
ESA
Ecological Society of America
Portland, OR
2023
INQUA
International Union For Quaternary Research
Rome, IT
2023
ResBaz
Research Bazaar
Auckland, NZ; Madison, WI
2023 - 2021
- Orgniser and helper in ResBaz Aotearoa 2021
- Workshop lead on Quarto for Colaboration virtual session for ResBaz NZ 2022
- Workshop lead on Quarto for Colaboration in-person Madison, WI, 2023
BES: Palaeo in R
British Ecological Society
Virtual
2022
- Speaker on virtual ecological methods to assessing uncertainty in palaeoecological data using pseudoproxies
AGU
American Geophysical Union
Chicago, IL
2022
- Speaker on virtual ecological methods for assessing uncertainty in palaeoecological data using pseudoproxies
AMQUA
American Quaternary Association
Madison, WI
2022
- Poster session on virtual ecological methods to assessing uncertainty in palaeoecological data using pseudoproxies
INQUA
International Union For Quaternary Research
Dublin, Ireland
2019
- Speaker on pseudoproxy modelling for assessing statistical inferences
Durham
Durham University
Durham, UK
2019
- Invited speaker on modelling resilience in ecosystems
Biological Heritage Science Challenge
University of Canterbury
Christchurch, NZ
2019
- Speaker on resilience in ecosystems
International Swiss Climate Summer School Earth systems variability through time: processes, observations and models
University of Bern
Bern, Switzerland
2018
- Poster presentation and participant
- Accredited course worth 3 ECTS credits
Te Punaha Matatini Biomaths
University of Auckland
Auckland, NZ
2018
- Speaker
EcoRe3: Resistance, Recovery and Resilience in Long-term Ecological Systems
PAGES - University of Utah
Utah, USA
2018
- Speaker on modelling resilience in ecosystems
Paleodata Demo Derby Workshop
University of Wisconsin
Wisconsin, USA
2018
- Participant
Biological Heritage Science Challenge
University of Canterbury
Christchurch, NZ
2017
- Speaker